Roger Federer

Roger Federer of Switzerland looks on against Nikolay Davydenko of Russia during day thirteen of the 2007 U.S. Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2007 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Five times US Open winner Roger Federer will be looking to make it six titles in a row come the 2009 US Open Tennis Championships. udging by the way he's scythed through all opposition over recent years the Swiss superstar is going to take some stopping.

Biography

Roger Federer was born in Basel, Switzerland to a Swiss father and a South African mother. Federer excelled at both football and tennis as a youngster, ultimately choosing to focus on tennis. Federer admits to having been a bad sport as a youth player and was frequently kicked off the local practice courts.

Career

Roger Federer's professional tennis career started in 1998 when his dominance of the ITF youth tour saw him selected to join the ATP tour. His first three years as a professional saw him perform well in minor tournaments, but fail to win a grand slam event or masters event.

In 2001 Roger Federer showed signs of his impending dominance of the game when he knocked Pete Sampras out Wimbledon, ending the great player's run of 31 wins in the tournament. However, Federer had to wait until 2003 to claim his first grand slam, when he defeated Mark Philippoussis in the Wimbledon men's final.

Grand Slam Record

Since taking his first grand slam victory, Roger Federer has been a force to be reckoned with. In 2004 Federer played with imperious form as he took the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. The following year saw Federer defend both his Wimbledon and US Open titles, making him the first man in open history to achieve this feat.

2006 saw Roger Federer claim three grand slams for a second time as he re-defended his Wimbledon and US open titles and recaptured the Australian open, losing to only Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray that year.

In 2007 Federer defended his Australian Open title without dropping a set before going on to win his fifth Wimbledon title, equaling the Open era record for consecutive Wimbledon titles, before going on to claim his fourth consecutive US Open title.

He claimed a fifth US Open title in 2008, ending a poor run of form that had seen him go for three grand slams without a win. Federer began his 2009 season with a loss in the final of the 2009 Australian Open. The loss spurred Federer to play at his best, and the Swiss master went on to take his maiden French Open title before winning yet another Wimbledon crown to break Pete Sampras' record for most grand slam titles.

Playing Style

Roger Federer's brilliance is based on his ability to do the tennis basics perfectly. Federer's devastating forehand is matched by a powerful, unpredictable serve and his speed around the court. The player's unruffled style allows him to turn defence into attack in an instant, and survive crucial high pressure situations.